Happy Hollow Forest

Ranch Description

Happy Hollow Forest is a showcase of exemplary forest management and a nearly pure sugar maple resource. Healthy stands of sawlog-sized sugar maple cover the majority of the forest, with exceptional stem quality and perfectly-spaced trees for robust asset appreciation. This resource is well aligned to the timber investor seeking value appreciation, while enjoying the recreational amenities this highly esthetic landscape has to offer.

The forest is in northwestern Vermont in mountainous and mostly forested area with widely scattered residences and small farms in the valleys. Camels Hump State Forest, the third largest in state forest in Vermont shares a boundary with the property. Burlington, Vermont, is 22 miles to the west while Montpelier, Vermont’s state capital, is 27 miles to the east. The property is accessed by a 50’-wide right-of-way off of a town road. The access is a woods trail along gently sloping terrain. Internally, high-quality skid trails provide exceptional access, covering the entire property. At the land’s extreme western end, a developed hiking trail leads to the property’s highest point and into the state forest.

A northern and westerly aspect prevails on the property, with the lowest elevation at the point where the RoW enters the land. From here, terrain steadily rises towards the back of the property’s two ridgelines with the eastern ridge being the height of land and adjacent to the state land. The southern ridge offers a long, flat top, with wide views in many directions. Overall, terrain is moderate, with some steep slopes along streams and at the eastern end. Operability for forest management can be considered very good with quality trails throughout.

A species composition of nearly 100% hardwood prevails; however, some red spruce and hemlock stems are present at the property’s eastern peak and along the two streams.Total species composition is mostly sugar maple (75%), with yellow birch, white ash, beech and miscellaneous other species as associates. Sawlog volume is an impressive 86% sugar maple. Capital Timber Value has recently been established at $291,000.

The property offers an opportunity for sugarbush development, given the high level of maple stocking and downhill slope to the access point. The timber data indicate a total maple potential tap count of 9,885 taps with nearly all taps from sugar maple. Trees from the 10” size class and greater were considered, providing an average of 61 taps/acre, covering 162.1 commercial acres.